The Works of Christopher Marlowe Volume II Part 40

_Kent._ Fear it not.

[_Exeunt._

SCENE II.

_Enter_[274] _the_ QUEEN _and her_ Son.

_Queen._ Ah, boy! our friends do fail us all in France: The lords are cruel, and the king unkind; What shall we do?[275]

_Prince._ Madam, return to England, And please my father well, and then a fig For all my uncle's friends.h.i.+p here in France.

I warrant you, I'll win his highness quickly; He loves me better than a thousand Spencers.

_Queen._ Ah, boy, thou art deceived, at least in this, To think that we can yet be tuned together; No, no, we jar too far. Unkind Valois! 10 Unhappy Isabel! when France rejects, Whither, oh! whither dost thou bend thy steps?

_Enter_ SIR JOHN _of_ Hainault.

_Sir J._ Madam, what cheer?

_Queen._ Ah! good Sir John of Hainault, Never so cheerless, nor so far distrest.

_Sir J._ I hear, sweet lady, of the king's unkindness; But droop not, madam; n.o.ble minds contemn

Despair: will your grace with me to Hainault, And there stay time's advantage with your son?

How say you, my lord, will you go with your friends, And shake off all our fortunes equally? 20

_Prince._ So pleaseth[276] the queen, my mother, me it likes: The king of England, nor the court of France, Shall have me from my gracious mother's side, Till I be strong enough to break a staff; And then have at the proudest Spencer's head.

_Sir J._ Well said, my lord.

_Queen._ O, my sweet heart, how do I moan thy wrongs, Yet triumph in the hope of thee, my joy!

Ah, sweet Sir John! even to the utmost verge Of Europe, or[277] the sh.o.r.e of Tanais, 30 We will with thee to Hainault--so we will:-- The marquis is a n.o.ble gentleman; His grace, I dare presume, will welcome me.

But who are these?

_Enter_ KENT _and_ YOUNG MORTIMER.

_Kent._ Madam, long may you live, Much happier than your friends in England do!

_Queen._ Lord Edmund and Lord Mortimer alive!

Welcome to France! the news was here, my lord, That you were dead, or very near your death.

_Y. Mor._ Lady, the last was truest of the twain: But Mortimer, reserved for better hap, 40 Hath shaken off the thraldom of the Tower, And lives t' advance your standard, good my lord.

_Prince._ How mean you? and the king, my father, lives!

No, my Lord Mortimer, not I, I trow.

_Queen._ Not, son; why not? I would it were no worse.

But, gentle lords, friendless we are in France.

_Y. Mor._ Monsieur le Grand, a n.o.ble friend of yours, Told us, at our arrival, all the news; How hard the n.o.bles, how unkind the king Hath showed himself; but, madam, right makes room 50 Where weapons want; and, though so many friends Are made away, as Warwick, Lancaster, And others of our party[278] and faction; Yet have we friends, a.s.sure your grace, in England Would cast up caps, and clap their hands for joy, To see us there, appointed[279] for our foes.

_Kent._ Would all were well, and Edward well reclaimed, For England's honour, peace, and quietness.

_Y. Mor._ But by the sword, my lord, 't must be deserved;[280]

The king will ne'er forsake his flatterers. 60

_Sir J._ My lords of England, sith th' ungentle king Of France refuseth to give aid of arms To this distressed queen his sister here, Go you with her to Hainault; doubt ye not, We will find comfort, money, men and friends Ere long, to bid the English king a base.[281]

How say, young prince? what think you of the match?

_Prince._ I think King Edward will outrun us all.

_Queen._ Nay, son, not so; and you must not discourage Your friends, that are so forward in your aid. 70

_Kent._ Sir John of Hainault, pardon us, I pray; These comforts that you give our woful queen Bind us in kindness all at your command.

_Queen._ Yea, gentle brother; and the G.o.d of heaven Prosper your happy motion, good Sir John.

_Y. Mor._ This n.o.ble gentleman, forward in arms, Was born, I see, to be our anchor-hold.

Sir John of Hainault, be it thy renown, That England's queen, and n.o.bles in distress, Have been by thee restored and comforted. 80

_Sir. J._ Madam, along, and you my lord[s], with me, That England's peers may Hainault's welcome see.

[_Exeunt._

SCENE III.

_Enter_[282] _the_ KING, ARUNDEL,[283] _the two_ SPENCERS, _with others._

_Edw._ Thus after many threats of wrathful war, Triumpheth England's Edward with his friends; And triumph, Edward, with his friends uncontrolled!

My lord of Gloucester, do you hear the news?

_Y. Spen._ What news, my lord?

_Edw._ Why, man, they say there is great execution Done through the realm; my lord of Arundel, You have the note, have you not?

_Arun._[284] From the lieutenant of the Tower, my lord.

_Edw._ I pray let us see it. What have we there? 10 Read it, Spencer. [SPENCER _reads their names._ Why so; they barked apace a month[285] ago: Now, on my life, they'll neither bark nor bite.

Now, sirs, the news from France? Gloucester, I trow, The lords of France love England's gold so well, As Isabella[286] gets no aid from thence.

What now remains; have you proclaimed, my lord, Reward for them can bring in Mortimer?

_Y. Spen._ My lord, we have; and if he be in England, 'A will be had ere long, I doubt it not. 20

_Edw._ If, dost thou say? Spencer, as true as death, He is in England's ground; our portmasters Are not so careless of their king's command.

_Enter a_ Messenger.

How now, what news with thee? from whence come these?